Lightfire and Nightshade
by LimeRoos
Summary: A little romance between two shaych tayledras. Enjoy?


Lightfire and Nightshade

"You can't love me." Nightshade said looking out the window of his ekele. Usually it was a beautiful view as his ekele was at least fifty feet off the ground, but today Nightshade wasn't paying attention to the view. His attention was on his twenty-one year old pupil, Lightfire.

"And why not?" Lightfire replied. It took him months to get to the point of asking Nightshade the question he had wanted to ask since the moment he was apprenticed to him four years ago. Lightfire had felt a connection he was sure his teacher felt.

"Because you're not Shay-a-chern." Nightshade said with a hint of remorse.

"What makes you say that?" Asked Lightfire as he slid his arms around his teacher's waist, "Why can't I be shaych?"

"You've bedded women. Many women, and from what I hear you like it." Nightshade replied pulling away from Lightfire. He moved to sit in the chair farthest away from the window.

"That doesn't mean I wanted to. It's all an act. If my father ever found out I was Shaych, I'd be disowned or worse, cast out." he kept going before Nightshade could interrupt him, "It doesn't matter that he tolerates others being Shay-a-chern, he won't tolerate me being it. He wants his family line to continue. No matter what the cost. And if that means I have to pretend around him, then that's what I do." Lightfire replied forlornly, looking out the window but seeing nothing.

Nightshade looked over and saw his pupils eyes fill with tears. He got up and stood next to Lightfire with his arms on the window sill. "Lightfire, your father can't do that. The council won't let him."

"It won't matter; he'll find a way to do it anyway. It's who he is."

Nightshade wanted to comfort his pupil, but he couldn't unless he wanted to commit to something he was sure was infatuation. "Lightfire, maybe it's because your father is Shay-a-chern himself." Nightshade said delicately.

"No. That's not possible. He loves mother, as opposite as they are." Lightfire said testily, a bit angered at the idea of his father being shaych and persecuting him if he showed it.

"All right," Nightshade said trying to calm his pupil down, "it was just an idea."

"I know. I overreacted." Lightfire said as looked out the window then suddenly realized something, "You little devil. You changed the subject."

"So I did," replied Nightshade, "so I did. I suppose we're back to arguing now?"

"Yes," Was all Lightfire said.

After an extended silence Nightshade spoke, "There's another reason. I'm your teacher."

"Yes, but Starwind and Moondance were student, teacher, and lovers." Lightfire supplied.

"But they were life bonded, we're not." Nightshade said, fearful of Lightfire's reply.

"Are you so sure about that?" Lightfire asked, not giving Nightshade time to answer," I mean, I felt something the moment I began studying under you. I'm sure you felt something too."

"I yes, but still." Nightshade fell silent. "I can't."

"You don't seem to have a choice." Lightfire replied, once again moving to encircle his arms around his teacher's waist, playing with the loose front of his tunic.

"But, Lightfire." All of Nightshades objections were stilled as Lightfire slid his hands under the waistband of Nightshades trews.

"You were saying?" Asked Lightfire, knowing he'd get no reply.

"Lightfire, stop, please..." Nightshade pleaded, "Not now, we can't."

"So you do love me, we are life bonded aren't we?" Lightfire asked quietly.

"Yes, I do believe we're lifebonded." Nightshade said truthfully, "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since you became my pupil. I didn't want it to interfere with my teaching, or with your family. We can't become lovers yet."

"Yes we can. The vale is moving soon, we can stay behind with the rear guard then disappear." Lightfire supplied.

"I'm not so sure I want to do that. I have family, we both do." Nightshade said sullenly. "I'm not sure I want to abandon them. I don't think they'd understand."

"It is just an idea. We could always move to K'Valdemar or Haven. They'll accept us no matter what. And maybe we can even get a reason to move there. You can keep in contact and they can come and visit." Lightfire said, happy he found a pretty solid plan.

"Alright, that sounds like a good idea. I'll just say you need to learn some of the Heralds teachings and you can decide to live there. But if I decide to return, will you let me?" Nightshade asked.

"Fine," said Lightfire, undoing the lacings of Nightshades shirt, "but I'm staying out there no matter what. And right now, all I want is you." Lightfire concluded and that was all he got for a long while.


End file.
